“Be ready to sacrifice your lives for the sake of Christ” a senior Anglican Archbishop Mouneer Anis of Cairo warned Christians. Christians must be ready to face persecution, restrictions, terrorism and violence which will be carried out in the name of religion, he said while addressing an assembly of leaders of the Anglican Communion’s Global South.

Archbishop Mouneer Anis of Cairo while addressing an assembly of archbishops and bishops from countries where Christians face acute forms of executions urged the Church to be ready to embrace persecution in the name of religion. The assembly included clergymen from countries such as Sudan, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, Southern Africa, West Africa, Indian Ocean, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South East Asia.

The assembly at the Anglican Communion’s Global South leaders included more than 100 delegates, the opening ceremony was graced by representatives of the Vatican, Coptic Orthodox Church and Al Azhar University in Cairo, the seat of Sunni learning. The participants discussed the importance of ecumenical and inter-faith dialogue.

Archbishop Mouneer Anis further said that today the Church is facing many challenges – including prevailing scourges of “polygamy, tribalism, corruption and harsh treatment of women,” as well as “false teaching” of the prosperity gospel, and the teachings of other such cults.

He went on to point fingers at “ideological slavery” which is a result of “some Western churches and organizations us[ing] their wealth and influence to push their own agendas in the Global South.” He continued: “We need to be aware of this and resist all kinds of slavery, whether financial or ideological” or else face “cultural defeat and captivity.”